Spinograph apparatus



Jan. T2, T954 Y J. c. THOMPSON SPINOGRAPH APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1951 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS n 1954 J. c. THOMPSON SPINOGRAFH APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27. 1951 F5. 9 INVENTO R fly W A TToRNE s Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINOGR-APH APPARATUS Joseph Clay Thompson, Davenport, Iowa Application August 27, 1951, Serial No. 243,875

12 Claims.

1 .My invention relates to improvements in clamps of the general type shown in my Patent No. 2,532,967.

The objects of my invention are to provide improved means for applying such a clamp with improved means for assembling and holding the various parts in their desired relative position; to provide more facile means for adjusting the headpads and tragus rods; to provide improved means for locking the yoke rigidly to the alignment rod and for a spring-held detent sufiicient to hold the yoke in proper position and against rotation, but which can be readily overcome by manual force applied to the yoke to rotate it; to provide improved means for securing the alignment bar rigidly in vertical position. Other objects will appear from the description.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a top or plan view;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the spring-held guide;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail partly in section of the clamp of the head of the yoke upon the alinement rod;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the pivoting of the link 58 to the bar 51;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail partly in section of the rearward extension 48 at the lower ends of the yoke 58;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail partly in section of the vertical carrier with the sliding bar 8 mounted therein;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the enlargements at the lower ends of the yoke 58.

My invention comprises a bucky clam l arranged to rest upon the top of the bucky A of X-ray photographic apparatus with lugs 2 extending downwardly on the face of the bucky and with an adjustable ball-mounted plate 3 arranged to contact the rear of the bucky and actuated by a knob 4 and screw 5 to tighten or loosen it.

The front of this clamp has integrally united thereto a vertical support [6 with a T-shaped groove 1 formed therein in which a rectangular alignment bar 8 is slidingly mounted. The alignment bar 8 and the lateral faces of the groove are milled to fit closely, but with the alignment bar slightly narrower than the width of the groove.

In the support for the alignment bar a bore 9 is formed adapted to form a seat for a steel ball I 0 with a spring I I mounted in the bore arranged to press inwardly upon the ball and outwardly 2 against a screw or plug I2 threaded in the bore 9.

The back of the support I6 has a threaded bore l3 formed therein for a screw M the outer end of which is provided with a manually operable knob l5 and the inner end of which is arranged to bear against the alignment bar 8 and push it forwardly so that the screw l4 and the ball Ill force a three-point contact of the bar 8 with the support l6 one edge of the bar being pressed against the support at one side of the groove and the front of the bar being pressed against flanges l1 formed in the support I6.

An alignment rod I8 is rigidly united to the lower end of the alignment bar 3 and extends forwardly at right angles to the bucky in horizontal position.

This alignment rod I8 is preferably a round rod and has a V-shaped longitudinal groove I9 in one side thereof.

A yoke 20 has a head 2| slidingly mounted upon the alignment rod projecting upwardly with a bore 22 formed in the upward projection and the head is provided with a wide slot or opening 23 extending downwardly. An eye-bolt 24 has its eye slidably seated in said opening and its threaded portion 25 extending upwardly through the bore with a knob 26 threaded thereon. The alignment rod I8 is arranged to pass through a central bore 21 in the head 2! of the yoke 2|] and also through the eye 28 of the eye-bolt, the eyebolt being preferably formed of brass with a wide ring around the eye so arranged that when the knob on the eye-bolt is turned in one direction, it will press upwardly against the alignment rod and lock the head in rigid position upon the rod, but when turned in the other direction, will lower the eye and release the rod so as to be manually slidable and rotatable thereon.

A spring-actuated detent 29 is mounted in a detent block or bar 3| slidably mounted. upon the alignment rod adjacent and united to the head of the yoke. The detent block is provided with a transverse bore 39 corresponding in size to an extension 24 of the head and has a longitudinal bore 32 extending into it from the rod end. The outer end of this bore is reduced in size so as to afford a shoulder 33 at one end thereof. A helical spring 34 is mounted in this bore between the shoulder and a detent ring 35 held by a pin 36 and one end of the detent is reduced in section so as to pass through the helical spring and is threaded on its outer end with a manually operable threaded knob 31 threaded. thereon whereby the detent 29 may be drawn outwardly or released and driven inwardly by the spring.

The inner end 34 of the detent is pointed and proportioned to slide in the V-shaped groove 58 provided in one side of the alignment rod, but the inner end of the pin is rounded sufficiently to permit rotation of the yoke head manually by overcoming the spring pressure. The spring pressure is sufficient normally to hold the detent bar and the head of the yoke connected thereto in horizontal position upon the alignment rod. The groove in the alignment rod extends lengthwise thereof so as to permit free movement of the yoke lengthwise of the alignment rod. The head of the yoke is provided with curved arms extending laterally therefrom in opposite directions and forming approximately a half circle.

In the lower ends or terminals 33 of the arms, rest rods 39 are slidingly mounted having upon their inner ends pads an adapted to be placed in contact with the checks of the patient and with knobs M upon their outer ends for convenient movement thereof. In the terminal-s38 of the arms vertical bores 42 are formed carrying detent screws 43 threaded therein with their upper ends arranged to bear against the rest rods and with their lower ends having knobs dd secured thereon. Small pins 45 are inserted in the lower faces of the terminals extending downwardly into segmental grooves 46 formed in the upper surface of the knobs which will permit limited movement of the detent screws.

Allen head screws 41 are secured in the heads or knobs to rigidly secure them to the detent screws.

The lower ends of the arms of the yoke are provided with extensions 48 extending rearwardly.

These extensions have horizontal bores 49 formed therein with shafts i) slidably mounted in the bores. The outer ends of the shafts are provided with transverse bores 5| in which tragus rods 52 are slidably mounted. The opposite ends of the shafts are provided with enlarged heads 53 and helical springs 5 are mounted around the shafts between the head and the tragus rods, the shafts being enough smaller than the bores to permit the insertion of such springs.

The shafts are freely rotatable and the tragus rods are readily slidable in the ends of the shafts, and have tips 56 of neoprene, rubber or similar material on their inner ends and knobs 55 on their outer ends.

. In order to properly align the clamp and the head of a patient, a series of accurately machined alignment levers is pivotally mounted on the outer. end of the alignment rod including an initial bar 5'5 flattened at its inner end to fit closely in a slot iii in the end of the alignment rod and pivoted thereto by a pivot pin or bolt.

An intermediate bar 58 is pivoted at one end to the initial bar and at its other end to one end of a pointer bar 55 the other end of which has a point (it for application to the bridge of the nose orother place as desired. The pivot joints of the intermediate bar to its adjacent bars include pivot screws or pins '62 rigidly secured to one of thebars 53 by threading and a lock nut 54. Spring or look washers 613 are mounted adjacent the heads of the pivot screws with plain washers installed between the spring washers and the bar 51 so that the bar 5'5 may be turned readily upon the pivot screw, the bore in the bar 5! being made a little larger than the pivot screw. All of the joints and pivots are machined with great accuracy so as to confine movement of the pointer to a single vertical planeon the axis of the alignment rod.

In the operation of my clamp the patient is seated in his natural position as described in my Patent No. 2,532,967, with the back of his head close to or in contact with the bucky. The alignment bar is placed above the center plane of his head and lowered till the alignment rod is a short distance above the top of his head. The alignment levers are then brought into position with their point in contact with the bridge of the nose at the desired place in its center line. The yoke is then moved to a l ne above the ears and turned as necessary to align the pads with the cheeks and the tragus rods with the tragi of the ears.

The tragus rods are then adjusted with their tips lightly contacting the tragi of the ears after which the pads are applied to the cheeks and locked in position by turning the knobs on their detent screws by the thumbs of the operator which can be conveniently done by turning outwardly simultaneously or turning inwardly simultaneously on the knobs as the case may be, while holding the tragus rods with his fingersf The alignment levers can then be swung up away from the face and the tragus rods can be removed or left in place as desired while the photograph is being taken.

I prefer to build my clamp mainly of stainless steel but other suitable metals may be used.

Some modifications may be made in the shape and proportions of various parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as set out in the claims, and I do not limit my claims to the precise forms described therein.

I claim:

1. In a head clamp for X-ray apparatus having a movable bucky, a clamp adjustably united to the top of the bucky with a flat plate arranged to rest against the front of the bucky and having a vertical grooved carrier united thereto with a rectangular groove formed therein and with lateral flanges at the front thereof, a flat close fitting vertical alignment bar slidingly mounted in the vertical groove, a spring-pressed ball mounted in one side of the carrier arranged to exert a moderate pressure against the alignment bar to hold it in close contact with the opposite side of the carrier, a manually adjustable screw threaded into the back of the carrier'with its inner 'end arranged to exert forward pressure against the alignment bar whereby it may be securely held in contact with the flanges, a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to the alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a rig t angle to the bucky, a longitudinal groove formed in one side of the alignment rod, a yoke having'a central head slidingly mounted on the alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, the head being provided with a longitudinal bore through which the alignment rod passes and also with a vertical chamber in which a wide eye-bolt is mounted with its threaded end extending above and having an eye a little larger than the alignment rod and a thumb knob threaded on the upper end of the bolt whereby the eye-bolt may be caused to exert pressure upon the alignment rod which passes through its eye to lockthe yoke in any desired fixed position upon the alignment rod, a block united to the head having a bore at a right angle to the alignment rod with a pin mounted in said bore having a rounded point to enter and slide in the longitudinal slot in the alignment rod, a helical spring surrounding the pin arranged to exert a light yieldable pressure upon the pin to hold it in said longitudinal groove unless forced out by manual rotation of the yoke on the alignment rod, a terminal member upon each outer end of the yoke arms having a transverse bore in which a rest rod is slidingly mounted carrying a pad upon its inner end to be applied to the cheeks of a patient and a knob upon its outer end for convenient manual adjustment. vertical bores formed in the terminals in which adjusting screws are threaded with oppositely acting threads and having knobs upon their lower ends by which they may be conveniently adjusted simultaneously by corresponding movements of the thumbs of the operator to lock the rest rods and pads in the desired position while holding the tragus rods or to release them, forwardly extending fingers united to the terminals with rotatable stems mounted therein having transverse bores in which tragus rods are slidingly mounted. the inner ends of the tragus rods being fitted with inner pointed tips of neoprene, soft rubber or other flexible material which will not injure the ears of a, patient when applied thereto.

2. In a head clamp for X-ray apparatus hav ing a movable bucky, a clamp adjustably united to the top of the bucky with a fiat plate arranged to rest against the front of the bucky and having a vert cal grooved carrier united thereto having an accurately machined vertical rectangular groove formed therein with lateral flanges at the front thereof, a fiat, close fitting vertical alignment bar slidingly mounted in the vertical groove, a spring-pressed ball mounted in one side of the carrier arranged to exert a moderate pressure aga nst the alignment bar to hold it in close con tact with the opposite side of the carrier, and a manually adjustable screw threaded into the back of the carrier with its inner end arranged to exert forward pressure against the alignment bar whereby it may be securely held stationary and in contact with the lateral flanges.

3. A head clamp as described in claim 2, and a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to the alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a right angle to the bucky, a longitudinal groove formed in one side of the alignment rod, and a yoke having a central head slidingly mounted on the alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, and automatic means to hold the yoke in I horizontal position at different points in the length of the rod.

4. A head clamp as described in claim 2, and a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to the alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a right angle to the bucky, a yoke having a central head slidingly mounted on the alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, the head being provided with a longitudinal bore through which the alignment rod passes and also with a vertical chamber in which a wide eye-bolt is mounted with its threaded end extending above the alignment rod and having an eye a little larger than the alignment rod and a thumb knob threaded on the upper end of the bolt whereby the eye-bolt may be caused to exert pressure upon the alignment rod which passes through its eye to lock the yoke in any desired fixed position upon the alignment rod.

5. A head clamp as described in claim 2, and a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to the alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a right angle to the bucky, a longitudinal groove formed in one side of the alignment rod, and a yoke having a central head slidingly mounted on the alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, and automatic means to hold the yoke in horizontal position at different points in the length of the rod, said means including a block united to the head having a bore at a right angle to the alignment rod with a pin mounted in said bore having a rounded point to enter and slide in the longitudinal slot in the alignment rod, and a helical spring surrounding the pin arranged to exert a light yieldable pressure upon the pin to hold it in said longitudinal groove unless forced out by manual rotation of the yoke on the alignment rod.

6. A head clamp as described in claim 2, a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to the alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a right angle to the bucky, a longitudinal groove formed in one side of the alignment rod, a yoke having a central head slidingly mounted on the alignment rod with semicircular lateral arms rigidly united to the head. a block united to the head having a bore at a right angle to the alignment rod and a pin mounted in said bore having a rounded point to enter and slide in the longitudinal slot in the alignment rod, a helical spring surrounding the pin arranged to exert a light yieldable pressure upon the pin to hold it in said longitudinal groove unless forced out by manual rotation of the yoke on the alignment rod, the head being provided with a longitudinal bore through which the alignment rod passes and also with a vertical chamber in which an eye-bolt is mounted with its threaded end extending above and having an eye a little larger than the alignment rod and a thumb knob threaded on the upper end of the bolt whereby the eye-bolt may be caused to exert pressure upon the alignment rod which passes through its eye to lock the yoke in any desired fixed position upon the alignment rod.

7. In a head clamp as described in claim 6, a terminal member upon each outer end of the yoke, arms having a transverse bore in which a rest rod is slidingly mounted carrying a pad upon its inner end to be applied to the cheeks of a patient and a knob upon its outer end for con venient manual adjustment, and vertical bores formed in the terminals in which adjusting screws are threaded with oppositely acting threads and having knobs upon their lower ends by which they may be conveniently adjusted simultaneously by corresponding movements of the thumbs of the operator to lock the rest rods and pads in the desired position while holding the tragus rods or to release them.

8. A head clamp as described in claim 6, a terminal member upon each outer end of the yoke, arms having a transverse bore in which a rest rod is slidingly mounted carrying a pad upon its inner end to be applied to the cheeks of a patient and a knob upon its outer end for con venient manual adjustment, vertical bores formed in the terminals in which adjusting screws are threaded with oppositely acting threads and having knobs upon their lower ends by which they may be conveniently adjusted simultaneously by corresponding movements of the thumbs of the operator to lock the rest rods and pads in the desired position While holding the tragus rods or to release them, and forwardly extending fingers united to the terminals with rotatable stems mounted therein having transverse bores in which tragus rods are slidingly mounted,'the inner ends of the-tragus rods being fitted with-inner pointed tips of pyrene, soft rubber, or other flexible mahaving a central head slidingly mounted on the,

alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, a block united to the head having a bore at a right angle to the alignment rod with a pin mounted in said bore having a rounded point to enter and slide in the longitudinal slot in the alignment rod, and a light helical spring surrounding theflpin arranged to exert a light yielclable pressure upon-the pinto hold it in said longitudinal. groove unless forced out by manual rotation of the yoke onthe alignment rod.

10. In a head clamp for X-ray photographic apparatus, a round alignment rod having its rear end rigidly united to a vertical alignment bar and its front end extending forwardly at a right angle to the bucky, a yoke slidingly mounted upon the alignment rod with a head provided with a longitudinal bore through which the alignment rod passes also with a vertical chamber in which a wide eye-bolt is mounted with its threaded end extending above and having an eye a little larger than the alignment rod, and a thumb knob threaded on the upper end of the bolt whereby the eye-bolt may be caused to exert pressure upon the alignment rod which passes through its eye to lock the yoke in anydesired fixed position upon the alignment rod.

- 11. A head clamp as described in claim 10, and a plurality of three successive pivoted bars pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the alignment rod with a pointer upon the terminal bar arranged to travel in a vertical plane. projected through the axis of the alignment rod.

12. An adjustable yoke for head clamps including a yoke having a central head slidingly mounted upon an alignment rod with semi-circular lateral arms rigidly united to the head, a longitudinal bore and a vertical chamber in the head through which the alignment rod passes, an eyebolt mounted in the chamber with its threaded end extending upwardly and having an eye surrounding and a little larger than the alignment rod, a thumb knob threaded on the upper end of the bolt whereby the eye-bolt may be caused to exert pressure upon the alignment rod where it passes through the eye to lock the yoke in any desired fixed position upon the alignment-rod.

- J OSEPI-I CLAY THOMPSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Thompson Dec. 5, 

